Closure operator



April 28, 1925.

J. STOWERS CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed March 25, 1924 INVENTOR. S 7 L. fifan ers M 1 W A TORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 213, 192351 UNITE. srarss JOHN LOUIS STOWERS, OI HABANA, CUBA.

.onosoan OPERATOR.

[1 i i I 1 0 (all who/1t 2t may concern.

Be it known that l JOHN L. S'rownns citizen oi the United-States, residing at .2. 21a. ua rave invenrec c 'ain .m H hn C b ,l 1 f l eit in and useful lm 'irovements in Closure Operators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention rcters to an apparatus which automatically closes transonis, shut- .ters, doors and the like, obviating by its use the vigilance which it otherwise necessaryto maintain, that the openings which they protect be closed in case of rain, or when so desired.

One of the principal objects of this in vention is to provide an apparatus which includes a receptacle destined to receive a fluid which is discharged towards and which fills it at a given moment, causing it to act in the course oi this specificationwith. the

aid of the attached drawing, in which similar characters of reference designate the,

same parts.

lu the. drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of a section of root and wall andiucludes a transom and aso the apparatus, the object or" this i nveuti 011. a

li igure 2 is the same view illustrating the transom closed.

Figure 3 is a vertical section according to line 3 301 Figure 2.

Figure 4i: a vertical section according to line -;1-. lof Figure 1, and.

Figure 5 is a perspectiv view in detail of one of the principal parts of the apparatus, the object of the invention.

Ehipposing for example a roof A. provided with. its usual drain pipe 1 and its usual drop 2 for the discharge of the rainwater and atransom 3 pivoted atet to the frame 5 otthe opening which it covers. lit the sides of the frame are fastened two strips 5 which constitute stops -for preventing the turning of transom 3 tootar insemi-oval shape.

Application filed March 25, 1924. Serial No. 701,835.

wardly, the upper ends of said strips being bevelled to serve a support for transom Z3.-

The apparatus includes a bracket 6 fixed at one end to the upper edge of transom 3 at its outer side, andsecured to the lower border of the same by a brace 7, the transom 3 constituting the hypotenuse of a triangle whose legs are the bracket 6 and the brace 7. The free end of the bracket 6 extends beyond the brace Tand ends in a fork, which supports between its prongs and under the drop pipe 2, an oscillating receptacle 8 (detailed in Figure 5) which is provided with diametrical pivots 9 mounted loosely in corresponding bores in the prongs of the fork of bracket 6. The bottom of the receptacle 8 is of" conical shape and ends in a nozzle 8 provided with a valve 10, the inlet to the 1102- zle being covered by a gauze filter 11 of Above, the receptacle 8 has a horizontal lip 8 extending outwards and for the purpose which will be later explained.

On the upper border of the transom 3 and on the inner side is fastened a bracket 12,

which carries an adjustable counter weight 18, movablehy means of an eyelet 13 and a set screw 14:.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Supposing the parts to be in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 4:, that is, with the transom 3 raised, due to the action of the counterweigl'it 13 which tends to rotate it inwardly, but is prevented by the stop strips 5, the bevelled ends of which serve as a bearing for the transom 3. The receptacle S is supported under the drop pipe 2 and very close to same.

In case o'fyrain, the water running in the direction of the slope of roof A intothe canal 1 and being delivered through the drop pipe 2, immediately fills the receptacle 8. Then the effect oi the weight of the counterweight 1?) which forces the transom 3 to revolve inwardly, is overcome by the efliect of the greater weight of the liquid which the receptacle 8 contai11s,and the transom 3 revolves outwardly until it is stopped by the stops 5', as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

It the valve 10 is closed, even after the rain has stopped the transom will remain closed, as the receptacle 8 will remain filled. But if the valve be leftopen the water will run out through the nozzle?) and it, while the rain lasts, as it is discharged through the pipe 8, the receptacle will continue to be filled again by water which is constantly running through the drop pipe when the rain ceases, the receptacle will be en'iptied gradually, and the counterweight 13 will cause the transom 8 to rock inwardly. 'lhe flange 8 upon striking the drop pipe 2 will facilitate the receptacle 8 to oscillate until it is in the position illustrated in Iiigures l and 3.

The filter 11 will prevent the nozzle 8 from being obstructed by earth or refuse swept along by the water.

It is obvious that the cimstrnrtions disclosed'can be changed in many ways and that the apparatus can be applied also to doors and shutters of the rolling types, by making slight modifications which will not affect the substantial idea of the invention and always using the power obtained by the weight of a liquid which fills a receptacle or various receptacles at a givenmoment, in connection with elements which make this power act upon the door or shutter to close it.

This apparatus can also be operated with out the-employment of rain water but can use a source of power such as the artificial discharge of a fluid, which fills the receptacle or tanltat will, and causes it to act as a counterweight.

Having explained my invention in this manner-and the way in which the same is operated, what I wish to protect by the Patent Letters is what is comprised in the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically closing transoms and the like, con'iprising, a pivoted closure, means normally biasing the closure to open position, and a receiver carried by the closure and adapted to be filled with fluid, the closing. effect of: the receiver when filled with fluid being sufiicient to overcome the open position biasing means.

2. Apparatus for automatically closing lransoms and the like, comprising, a closure, means normally biasing the closure to open position, and a receiver carried by the closure and adapted to be filled with fluid, the closing effect of the receiver when filled with fluid being suflicient to overcome the open position biasing means, means for filling said receiver, and a discharge nozzle on the l'GCClVGl.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, stops adjacent the transom for limiting movement of the closure in both opening and closing direction, said receiver being pivotally carried by said closure.

'Tt. Apparatus according to claim 4-, and a count-er weight, carried by said Closure and biasing the closure to closed position, the opening effect oil the receiver when full oi? liquid being greater than the closing eil'cct of: the counter weight.

5. Apparatus for automatically closing closures, cinnprisinir, a pivoted closure, at supporting frame fastened to the outer part of the closure, a receiver pivotally mounted on the frame, means to discharge liquid into the receiver, controlling means to regularly discharge liquid from the receiver, a counterweight lastencd to the closure which counterweight is less than the filled receiver, and greater than that of the empty receiver, and stops to limit inward movei'nent of? the closure.

6. Apparatus for automatically closing closures, comprising, a pivoted closure, a supporting tramei astened to the outer part of the closure and adapted to close the same, stops to limit inward movement oi the closure receiver having, a conicah'y shaped bot-- tom, a tubular extension provided with a cock, a filter and an upper part formed in a stop flange, and pivotally mounted in.the frame i alignnumt with adrain pipe tor water or fluid, the edge of the receiver constituting a stop to engage with the pipe at the end of upward movement, a bracket fastened to the closure and provided with an adjustable counterweight, the effect of the counterweight being less than that ol' the filled receiver, but greater than that of the empty receiver, for rocking the closure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN LOUIS QTOYVE IS. 

